Priming and regulating device for pumps of the screw, centrifugal, and valveless type



w. 27, 1925- 1,5 8,640 7 A; B. SEABORNE PRIMING AND REGULATING DEVICEFOR PUMPS OF THE. SCREW,

CENTRIFUGAL, AND VALVELESS TYPE Filed Oct. 4, 1924 lNVENTOH.

Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEVER BURTON SEABORNE, OF NORTH FINCHLEY, LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRIMING AND REGULATING DEVICE FOR PUMPS OF THE SCREW VALVELESS TYPE.

Application filed October 4, 1924. Serial No. 741,686.

To all whom it-may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEVER BURTON SEABORNE, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Eastwood, Ballards Lane, North Finchley,London, England, have invented improvements in and relating to primingand regulating devices for pumps of the screw, centrifugal, andvalveless type, of which the followlng 1s a spec fication.

This invention relates to priming and reg ulating devices for screw andcentrifugal and more especially for all valveless types of pumps and hasfor its object ensuring such non-positive acting pumps always startingup and continuing in operation.

In such types of pumps, great d1tficulty is experienced not only inkeeping them primed to facilitate starting up and continuing inoperation, but when used for. certain purposes a further diflicultyarises 1n the event of the end of the suction pipe bemg uncovered, soallowing great quantities-of air being pumped which quicklyhasdlsastrous results on the pump;

In order to overcome these defects it hasbeen proposed to employinterceptor tanks to ensure efiicient primlng and to employ means forstopping the pump as soon as it starts pumping air. In the case-of pumpselectrically driven it has been usual to ems ploy means forautomatically switchlng ofl the current to the motor but it has beendifiicult to arrange automatic means for stopping pumps not electricallydriven.

Now the present invention overcomes these drawbacks in a, simple andeflicient manner and allows the pump to continue functioning in a'normal way even thoughthe end of the suction pipe is uncovered freely tothe atmosphere.

The present invention comprises essen tially means for kee ing the pumpalways full of water and on Thisinvention will be now more particularlydescribed making reference. to the accompanying drawing in which thefigure is a view in side elevation-partly in section'of the preferredembodiment of the present invention. 7

A closed tank a is connected at its lower part to the inlet 6 of thepump a, which is situated below said tank a, and at its upper of thepump c.

e terminates some distance below the said entrance to the tank a and itsbottom end y passing air through it in small and controlled quantities.

dependent liquid supply. The member 6 is aconed' tube, shaped andarranged as shown,- the bore of which is in line with the entrance tothe tank a from the suction pipe d and the exit from the tank a to theinlet pipe b The upper end of this tube is in close proximity to saidexit from the tank, by such means it will be seen that any relativelylarge pieces of foreign matter are prevented from entering the suction.pipe 6 of the pump. The tube e is held in proper position within thetank a by webs or a spider as shown. .The whole arrangement being, suchthat in normal operation all liquid passes through the closed tank abefore entering the pump 0 and any air contained in the liquid andaccumulating in the upper part of the tank is removed together with theliquid through the pump 0. If, however, the liquid falls below the endof the suction pipe :5 so as to uncover it to the atmosphere, the levelof liquid falls in the closed tanka and with it the float f, which thenoperates the valve 9 to allow liquid to enter the closed tank a from thereservoir 5 or other supply. This operation goes on continuously, whilstthe suction pipe 02 is uncovered, the liquid being pumped in a closedcircuit entraining air from the suction pipe at and passing it with theliquid through the pump 0 and back into the reservoir z.

When the liquid rises to close the end of the subtion pipe d it is stillpumped in a closed circuit until it has created suiiicient negativepressure in the closed tank a as to cause the liquid to-rise in thesuction pipe (Z and thus into the closed tank a.

The level in the closed tank a will continue to rise until the float ftherein rises and operates to close the valve 9, so cutting off theliquid supply therethrough and so CENTRIFUGAL, Ann

establishing the normal operation of the pump.

It is preferable to employ the reservoir 1' as the source of supplyiofliquid to the closed tank a through the valve g.

In a preferred construction as shown, the closed tank a is formed in twoparts, the one containing the coned tube 6 and the other forming thefloat chamber and the two communicating through a gauze screen orstrainer a so as to ensure the float f workin in a liquid freed fromsolid matter or de ris and with the same object in view the liquidsupply to the valve 9 may be also constrained to pass through a suitablyarranged strainer. I declare that what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A priming and regulating device for pumps of thecentrifugal and valveless type comprising aclosed tank between the suc.

tion pipe and 5 the pump, a connection between the lower part of thetank and the inlet of the pump which is situated-below said tank, aconnection between the upper part of the tank and the suction pipe, aconed comprising a closed tank between the suction pipe and the pump, aconnectionbetween the lower part of the tank and the inlet of the pumpwhich is situated below said tank, a connection between the upper partofthe tank and the suction pipe, a coned tube Within said tank, apassage connecting. together the suction pipe Where it enters the tankand a reservoir into which the liquid is pumped, a valve situated insaid pipe or passage, a float within said tank adapted to control theopening and closing of said valve and straining device to ensure thefloat and valve working in a liquidjreed from solid matter, asset-forth;

ALLEVER BURTON SEABORNE.

